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The Humming Room: A Novel Inspired by the Secret Garden
Hiding is Roo Fanshaw's special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment's notice. When her parents are murdered, it's her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.
As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn't believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.
Despite the best efforts of her uncle's assistants, Roo discovers the house's hidden room--a garden with a tragic secret.
Inspired by The Secret Garden, this tale full of unusual characters and mysterious secrets is a story that only Ellen Potter could write.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published February 28, 2012
98 people are currently reading
9503 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Potter
55 books258 followersEllen Potter is the author of many children's books, including the Olivia Kidney series, Pish Posh, SLOB, and The Kneebone Boy. Her non-fiction book, Spilling Ink; a Young Writer’s Handbook, was co-authored by Anne Mazer
Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.
SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.
Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.
Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.
Olivia Kidney was awarded Child magazine’s “Best Children’s Book Award” and was selected as one of the “Books of the Year” by Parenting magazine.
SLOB is on more than 10 state book award lists and was selected for the Junior Library Guild.
Spilling Ink; A Young Writer’s Handbook was a New York Public Library Top 100 Children’s Book for 2010 and a Children’s Literature Assembly 2011 Notable Book.
Her newest series is Piper Green and the Fairy Tree.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 599 reviews
March 7, 2012
4.5.
I guess I should start by telling you how much I love the classics - how I was this weird little girl who read Oliver Twist like 45 times, or got more excited about the box of illustrated classics I got for Christmas when I was 9 than I was for the toys (in fact, I remember none of the toys, but still have most of the books). And I should probably tell you about how much I adore Francis Hodgson Burnett, and have read The Secret Garden more times than should be mentioned in polite society.
I should tell you this so that you understand the equal parts excitement and trepidation I feel when someone says they are rewriting a classic, especially one so beloved. There's always the chance that it's going to be a giant fail, and that I will be stuck with forever associating it with a favorite book of mine. But thank you, grilled cheesus, this was not even a little bit fail. Ellen Potter really managed to capture the things I loved about The Secret Garden but still make them her own, which is no easy feat. She managed to capture the atmosphere of TSG, which is impressive because we live in a much less isolated world now. But for all that, people still feel isolated, which is one of the keys of the story. Potter captures both senses of isolation, the actual physical isolation and the way people close themselves off, and she worked them together beautifully.
Potter also captures the tone of the original. There's a dreaminess that I think a lot of children's books fail to capture, but that Burnett and Potter have. It makes me wistful, makes me miss being a kid, exploring and lounging in the hazy days of summer. Reading these books is almost like a memory - something is triggered and you can almost feel it again. And there's a longing that comes with that, a sort of knowledge that it can't go on forever, so it's bittersweet. Potter weaved this atmosphere, this feeling, throughout the book, and it made me connect to it in the way that I absolutely love, and that all children's books should strive for. It was a lovely reading experience because of it.
But what's most impressive is that she captured the heart of the book. I really, really liked Roo's blossoming. OMG that was a horrible pun. But I'm leaving it because it's totally true, and is an element that was carried over nicely from The Secret Garden. The whole story at its core is really about blossoming, about growth. About making connections to something outside of yourself, sending out your roots and flourishing. This is true of the garden and the characters (metaphors!!! *jazz hands*), and is part of what makes the story so charming and so relatable. Potter captures that growth and that sort of awakening really well.
Roo was charmingly dysfunctional. And just charming in general. As were most of the side characters. I think some of the negative aspects of personalities from the original were removed or sort of shifted. There wasn't really much of a mean schoolmarmy thing going on, or as much of a petualant, sick child. It was there, just a little milder. Roo was much more likable early on than Mary was. I think because you can immediately see how much she is hurting, where as Mary just seems spoiled. There is still a tinge of darkness to the story, but I think it's a more understandable darkness for a modern audience, and it never intrudes to the point of making a character unlikable.
My one drawback was that it ended a little too abruptly for me. Well, maybe not abruptly, but the end was lacking a little of the finesse that had made it so lovely. It's such a short book, so when a short book that is well developed throughout suddenly lets off at the end, it always makes me feel a little cheated. I can't help thinking in such instances, You weren't running out of room - it's a short book! Add a little, finish it out nicely for me. I hate loving and loving and loving something, only to end it saying "Oh..." [This is not to say it's a bad ending, necessarily, or that the book is any less worth reading. Just that - it didn't match up, and it left me a teeny bit disappointed.]
But that being said, it is a highly enjoyable story for those who have read The Secret Garden, and for those who haven't, as well as for middle grade and adult readers alike.
Plus, there's the Faigne. Worth reading, if only for that...
I guess I should start by telling you how much I love the classics - how I was this weird little girl who read Oliver Twist like 45 times, or got more excited about the box of illustrated classics I got for Christmas when I was 9 than I was for the toys (in fact, I remember none of the toys, but still have most of the books). And I should probably tell you about how much I adore Francis Hodgson Burnett, and have read The Secret Garden more times than should be mentioned in polite society.
I should tell you this so that you understand the equal parts excitement and trepidation I feel when someone says they are rewriting a classic, especially one so beloved. There's always the chance that it's going to be a giant fail, and that I will be stuck with forever associating it with a favorite book of mine. But thank you, grilled cheesus, this was not even a little bit fail. Ellen Potter really managed to capture the things I loved about The Secret Garden but still make them her own, which is no easy feat. She managed to capture the atmosphere of TSG, which is impressive because we live in a much less isolated world now. But for all that, people still feel isolated, which is one of the keys of the story. Potter captures both senses of isolation, the actual physical isolation and the way people close themselves off, and she worked them together beautifully.
Potter also captures the tone of the original. There's a dreaminess that I think a lot of children's books fail to capture, but that Burnett and Potter have. It makes me wistful, makes me miss being a kid, exploring and lounging in the hazy days of summer. Reading these books is almost like a memory - something is triggered and you can almost feel it again. And there's a longing that comes with that, a sort of knowledge that it can't go on forever, so it's bittersweet. Potter weaved this atmosphere, this feeling, throughout the book, and it made me connect to it in the way that I absolutely love, and that all children's books should strive for. It was a lovely reading experience because of it.
But what's most impressive is that she captured the heart of the book. I really, really liked Roo's blossoming. OMG that was a horrible pun. But I'm leaving it because it's totally true, and is an element that was carried over nicely from The Secret Garden. The whole story at its core is really about blossoming, about growth. About making connections to something outside of yourself, sending out your roots and flourishing. This is true of the garden and the characters (metaphors!!! *jazz hands*), and is part of what makes the story so charming and so relatable. Potter captures that growth and that sort of awakening really well.
Roo was charmingly dysfunctional. And just charming in general. As were most of the side characters. I think some of the negative aspects of personalities from the original were removed or sort of shifted. There wasn't really much of a mean schoolmarmy thing going on, or as much of a petualant, sick child. It was there, just a little milder. Roo was much more likable early on than Mary was. I think because you can immediately see how much she is hurting, where as Mary just seems spoiled. There is still a tinge of darkness to the story, but I think it's a more understandable darkness for a modern audience, and it never intrudes to the point of making a character unlikable.
My one drawback was that it ended a little too abruptly for me. Well, maybe not abruptly, but the end was lacking a little of the finesse that had made it so lovely. It's such a short book, so when a short book that is well developed throughout suddenly lets off at the end, it always makes me feel a little cheated. I can't help thinking in such instances, You weren't running out of room - it's a short book! Add a little, finish it out nicely for me. I hate loving and loving and loving something, only to end it saying "Oh..." [This is not to say it's a bad ending, necessarily, or that the book is any less worth reading. Just that - it didn't match up, and it left me a teeny bit disappointed.]
But that being said, it is a highly enjoyable story for those who have read The Secret Garden, and for those who haven't, as well as for middle grade and adult readers alike.
Plus, there's the Faigne. Worth reading, if only for that...
January 26, 2020
Truth be told, if I were in fact completely and utterly unfamiliar with the classic children's novel on which Ellen Potter has so slavishly and pedantically based her The Humming Room and if Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden were also not such an all-time personal favourite, perhaps I could appreciate and even mildly enjoy Roo Fanshaw's story and her transformation in and by the Humming Room and its garden (I mean, she certainly is an interesting and engagingly enough rendered character, but then again, Roo is in my opinion also only of interest to and for me because the author, because Ellen Potter has based her almost entirely and sometimes even totally verbatim on The Secret Garden's Mary Lennox, and that indeed Mary has become one of my most beloved and most personally relatable literary characters ever).
So yes, to and for me, there is therefore (and since I have read The Secret Garden at least twenty times and counting) nothing even remotely novel and different about The Humming Room. And indeed, The Humming Room is also and equally in my humble opinion neither in any way a true retelling of The Secret Garden nor as Ellen Potter seems to claim an homage to Frances Hodgson Burnett the author, but in fact, simply a total and tedious rehashing of both the entire plot of The Secret Garden and very often even Frances Hodgson Burnett's writing style, and to the point that I have been both massively bored with and by The Humming Room and actually also do find its text, do find Ellen Potter's narrative not only not really honouring The Secret Garden and Frances Hodgson Burnett but in fact being (and yes even if The Secret Garden is now in the realm of public domain) an act of deliberate plagiarism and literary dishonesty.
So not recommended, and yes, I will in fact now once again be rereading The Secret Garden so that I can remove the sordid remembrance of The Humming Room from my mind, and how Ellen Potter has in my opinion both stolen her words from Frances Hodgson Burnett and created something creepily derivative and horrid.
So yes, to and for me, there is therefore (and since I have read The Secret Garden at least twenty times and counting) nothing even remotely novel and different about The Humming Room. And indeed, The Humming Room is also and equally in my humble opinion neither in any way a true retelling of The Secret Garden nor as Ellen Potter seems to claim an homage to Frances Hodgson Burnett the author, but in fact, simply a total and tedious rehashing of both the entire plot of The Secret Garden and very often even Frances Hodgson Burnett's writing style, and to the point that I have been both massively bored with and by The Humming Room and actually also do find its text, do find Ellen Potter's narrative not only not really honouring The Secret Garden and Frances Hodgson Burnett but in fact being (and yes even if The Secret Garden is now in the realm of public domain) an act of deliberate plagiarism and literary dishonesty.
So not recommended, and yes, I will in fact now once again be rereading The Secret Garden so that I can remove the sordid remembrance of The Humming Room from my mind, and how Ellen Potter has in my opinion both stolen her words from Frances Hodgson Burnett and created something creepily derivative and horrid.
January 31, 2015
I loved this book even more than I loved the classic it's based on, and I don't say that lightly. Everything that rubbed me the wrong way about THE SECRET GARDEN (especially the Disability Fail) is dealt with beautifully here, and Roo's tough background makes her personality utterly believable and maintains the reader's sympathies (though NOT their pity, because Roo is far too strong and dynamic a character to be pitied). I adored the supporting cast, Jack especially, and the way the author makes the setting come richly and vibrantly alive. For such a slim book there is a lot packed into these pages -- it's light, but never slight. Beautifully done, Ellen Potter.
December 10, 2012
The writing was superb, but unfortunately the story was too similar to the original story, The Secret Garden. What started off as a fresh tale with quirky characters turned into a predictable and, at times, disappointing rehash of the great classic.
I understand the author's intent was to retell the original story, but felt she needed to claim it as her own. Early in the book there was the suggestion of an other-worldly force at work, which seemed capable of giving this story a new twist. Unfortunately this element was not developed. In that respect, I thoroughly enjoyed the first half, but not so much the second half where, for me, the story converges much too closely to the original.
Not sure I would recommend this to a young reader over the original, nor do I think young readers would enjoy as much after reading the original. Still, if you or your child have no intention of reading the early twentieth century work of Frances Hodgson Burnett, Potter's updated interpretation is well written by an author who obviously has a skill for creating interesting characters.
I will add that I ordered the The Kneebone Boy after reading this book because I was so impressed with the author, even if I found this story lacking.
I understand the author's intent was to retell the original story, but felt she needed to claim it as her own. Early in the book there was the suggestion of an other-worldly force at work, which seemed capable of giving this story a new twist. Unfortunately this element was not developed. In that respect, I thoroughly enjoyed the first half, but not so much the second half where, for me, the story converges much too closely to the original.
Not sure I would recommend this to a young reader over the original, nor do I think young readers would enjoy as much after reading the original. Still, if you or your child have no intention of reading the early twentieth century work of Frances Hodgson Burnett, Potter's updated interpretation is well written by an author who obviously has a skill for creating interesting characters.
I will add that I ordered the The Kneebone Boy after reading this book because I was so impressed with the author, even if I found this story lacking.
October 14, 2012
Oh friends, I love reading books that just fuel my love of the middle grade category. The Humming Room by Ellen Potter is a very small book. Your eye might not even see it on the shelf – which is quite unfortunate. I’ve not seen much fanfare for The Humming Room which is a shame, because it’s a quiet, beautifully written take on The Secret Garden.
Read the rest of my review here.
Read the rest of my review here.
June 8, 2012
Roo starts the book off pretty rough. Well, it started way before we came in on the story, but we find that out as we go along. Her father and his girlfriend were killed, leaving Roo all alone. Not that things were all that great before, she was never dressed properly, never fed well, and she preferred the company of dirt over people. Her knack of hiding comes in handy when her uncle takes custody of her. Not only does she find some amazing new hiding spots, but she learns a little more about life itself.
The story was cute. Never having read The Secret Garden, I wasn't sure what I was in for. While you could definitely tell there was a beginning, middle and end, the middle seemed to fly through so many of the experiences too quickly, and the ending was wrapped up too nicely and abruptly. This story really could have benefited from some extra detail in the building of relationships, the development of Roos character and some explanations on some things. (possible spoilers ahead)
Roo's eyes go from a dull green to a bright green in the middle - that was pretty much all that was said about it. I think it would have been nice to see more explanation on this - talk about why they did this. Discuss her relationship with the earth more. Give us details that will make us fall in love with the characters. The same goes for Jack - he is this incredible being - and we don't know much about him at all. Phillips angst was played down to some temper tantrums. And the budding relationship between Jack and Roo was desperately lacking what it needed to be more than merely nice.
The vocabulary in this books leads me to believe it was written for 10- and 12-year-old readers. I think an extra hundred pages filling in these extra parts would have been great for readers of that age and give them a more fulfilling reading experience. More background on the family; more mystery to the old hospital; more overall emotion.
I do love Ellen Potter's writing, but this book for me fell short of what I would look for in a book that I would want to read again and again.
The story was cute. Never having read The Secret Garden, I wasn't sure what I was in for. While you could definitely tell there was a beginning, middle and end, the middle seemed to fly through so many of the experiences too quickly, and the ending was wrapped up too nicely and abruptly. This story really could have benefited from some extra detail in the building of relationships, the development of Roos character and some explanations on some things. (possible spoilers ahead)
Roo's eyes go from a dull green to a bright green in the middle - that was pretty much all that was said about it. I think it would have been nice to see more explanation on this - talk about why they did this. Discuss her relationship with the earth more. Give us details that will make us fall in love with the characters. The same goes for Jack - he is this incredible being - and we don't know much about him at all. Phillips angst was played down to some temper tantrums. And the budding relationship between Jack and Roo was desperately lacking what it needed to be more than merely nice.
The vocabulary in this books leads me to believe it was written for 10- and 12-year-old readers. I think an extra hundred pages filling in these extra parts would have been great for readers of that age and give them a more fulfilling reading experience. More background on the family; more mystery to the old hospital; more overall emotion.
I do love Ellen Potter's writing, but this book for me fell short of what I would look for in a book that I would want to read again and again.
July 14, 2021
Continuing on my #franceshodgsonburnett inspired reading journey I read this! Instead of a sequel this time, I read a retelling/inspired by story. I loved this! It’s a quick read, but it packs a punch in those pages. This is the darker retelling I’ve been looking for. It can be VERY dark, starts off that way from an event that happens in the beginning-so upper upper MG for sure. I loved the setting the author chose, the characters & their backstories, & I especially loved that the 2 characters based on the ones from the original I hoped would one day marry each other-seem to have a crush on one another. Love it! I also love the twist the author did with the Dickon character! SO great! This is dark, creepy, mysterious, & beautiful at the same time. I love how Roo can “hear” the earth. And the part towards the end with the humming was BRILLIANT! Gave me chills it was so good & impactful. This can be read without reading the original as well, because it fully stands on its own as an original, amazing story. Highly recommend. This cover by Jason Chan is also a work of art! Beautiful!💜
February 27, 2012
First Impressions:
Ana: Sometimes my book-reading decisions are very easy to make: I wanted to read The Humming Room on the strengths of its cover alone. I knew nothing of it when I started reading it and didn’t realise it was a retelling of The Secret Garden (haven’t read that book) until I was done and read the blurb. I read the book without any expectations whatsoever and even though I have a few reservations, I really enjoyed this story.
Thea: I, too, was immediately struck by the lovely cover for The Humming Room, but also was motivated to read the book because of the praise I’ve heard for Ellen Potter’s previous novel, The Kneebone Boy (which, incidentally, also has a gorgeous cover). I was thrilled to discover that the book was actually a retelling of The Secret Garden (which I haven’t read since I was a child), and found myself caught up in Ms. Potter’s lush writing style and enamored with heroine, Roo. I truly enjoyed this book, although it felt a little abrupt and I can’t help but think there should have been more to the story – but overall found The Humming Room to be a sweet, lilting read.
On the Plot:
Ana: The first thing that needs to be said is: I haven’t read The Secret Garden so I can’t say first-hand how much of The Humming Room is a close homage/retelling and how it might deviate from the original (or not). I do believe that being unencumbered by expectations or by previous knowledge of this story proved to be a blessing in this case (I mention this because earlier this week I reviewed Gil Marsh which was also a retelling and which I approached with great expectations).
With that caveat out of the way, The Humming Room was an enjoyable, if uneven, read. Its first half is definitely its strongest: it is beautifully written and we get a good sense of the main character and her developing arc (more on that later). This story has been transported to modern times but there is a certain timeless feel to it which comes from the setting – an old mansion on an isolated island. It is evocative of old-fashioned stories and I loved it because of that. I also appreciated the subtle narrative that hints at mysteries, ghost stories and even tales of fairies.
However, the second half is distinctively different. In the first half things were developed slowly, by introducing the main character Roo and the mysteries surrounding the house, the island and its inhabitants with gentleness and care. But once a secondary character is introduced and the mysteries revealed, the story is rushed up, leading to an extremely abrupt and undeveloped climax that left several things unexplained and unresolved – at least for me. Despite this unevenness, I am still glad that I have read The Humming Room.
Thea: It has been a very long time since I have read The Secret Garden (or since I have watched any of the many film adaptations – my favorite being the one with Maggie Smith), and my memory of the story is a little fuzzy – I remember the highlights (the broken family, the supposedly crippled son and standoffish father, and for some reason I remember that maid Martha had a cockney accent), but I went into The Humming Room with no real expectations or demands. Happily, I found myself easily slipping into this more modern re-imagining of The Secret Garden without any trouble. Instead of following a young girl whose parents died of a cholera outbreak in British colonized India, The Humming Room takes a young girl named Roo from her trailer park home after her drug dealing father dies to live on a strange isolated island called Cough Rock in her uncle’s mansion. The story runs fairly parallel to the original source material – the orphaned girl moves to a secluded home only to stumble on a family saga, and of course, a literal and metaphorical secret garden that will blossom once again with care and time.
From a storytelling perspective, I love Ellen Potter’s sense of atmosphere and backdrop – one of my favorite parts of The Humming Room is the setting of Cough Rock, the history behind the name (the mansion used to be a Children’s Hospital for those suffering from Tuberculosis), and the gothic, ghostly touch to the story. I loved the feel of the island, the river that surrounds it, and the folklore of the Faigne and the Yellow Girl.
That said, I do have to agree with Ana in that while the style and setting to The Humming Room is beautiful in the first portion of the novel, something is lost by the second half, and the ending to me felt rushed and incomplete. I also remain unconvinced of the “magical”/fantasy aspects of the novel…but perhaps that’s just my own personal taste.
On the Characters:
Ana: Roo is a wonderful strong-willed protagonist and I thought her story arc was beautifully done and it showed character growth. The transition from a malnourished, lonely, stand-offish child to a blossoming young girl was my favourite aspect of the novel. I loved the small details of how Roo interacted with others and with the world around her – her hiding places, her talking to animals and her connection with the natural world.
Unfortunately, the secondary characters are not developed much beyond their initial introductions and this is especially true about the villains of the piece are so underdeveloped (they shows up, they do villainy things, they leave never to come back) as to be completely pointless.
Thea: I *LOVED* Roo as our heroine – she’s quiet and thoughtful and, as one character describes her, she takes in everything the world has to offer and makes herself hard like a steel beam. She watches, she listens, and she learns; I had no problems believing in this twelve year old protagonist and her own unique way of seeing and reacting to people around her.
I’m a little hesitant to name any other characters, because to do so might spoil folks that are unfamiliar with The Secret Garden, so I’ll try to be sufficiently vague here: The characters from The Secret Garden are all in The Humming Room, following the same types of arcs and characterizations as those upon whom they are based.
Again, the only disappointing thing to me was how rushed the book felt by its climactic scenes, and how I could quite buy into the fantasy-ish elements of the story (in particular, one fantasy-ish character).
Final Thoughts, Observations & Rating::
Ana: Despite its unevenness, I truly enjoyed The Humming Room and it made me really want to read The Secret Garden and see how it compares.
Thea: I agree that the book is uneven, yet I still thoroughly enjoyed reading The Humming Room. Ellen Potter’s beautiful sense of imagery, setting, and her loving care for description and language completely won me over. I’ll certainly be reading more from this author in the future.
Ana: Sometimes my book-reading decisions are very easy to make: I wanted to read The Humming Room on the strengths of its cover alone. I knew nothing of it when I started reading it and didn’t realise it was a retelling of The Secret Garden (haven’t read that book) until I was done and read the blurb. I read the book without any expectations whatsoever and even though I have a few reservations, I really enjoyed this story.
Thea: I, too, was immediately struck by the lovely cover for The Humming Room, but also was motivated to read the book because of the praise I’ve heard for Ellen Potter’s previous novel, The Kneebone Boy (which, incidentally, also has a gorgeous cover). I was thrilled to discover that the book was actually a retelling of The Secret Garden (which I haven’t read since I was a child), and found myself caught up in Ms. Potter’s lush writing style and enamored with heroine, Roo. I truly enjoyed this book, although it felt a little abrupt and I can’t help but think there should have been more to the story – but overall found The Humming Room to be a sweet, lilting read.
On the Plot:
Ana: The first thing that needs to be said is: I haven’t read The Secret Garden so I can’t say first-hand how much of The Humming Room is a close homage/retelling and how it might deviate from the original (or not). I do believe that being unencumbered by expectations or by previous knowledge of this story proved to be a blessing in this case (I mention this because earlier this week I reviewed Gil Marsh which was also a retelling and which I approached with great expectations).
With that caveat out of the way, The Humming Room was an enjoyable, if uneven, read. Its first half is definitely its strongest: it is beautifully written and we get a good sense of the main character and her developing arc (more on that later). This story has been transported to modern times but there is a certain timeless feel to it which comes from the setting – an old mansion on an isolated island. It is evocative of old-fashioned stories and I loved it because of that. I also appreciated the subtle narrative that hints at mysteries, ghost stories and even tales of fairies.
However, the second half is distinctively different. In the first half things were developed slowly, by introducing the main character Roo and the mysteries surrounding the house, the island and its inhabitants with gentleness and care. But once a secondary character is introduced and the mysteries revealed, the story is rushed up, leading to an extremely abrupt and undeveloped climax that left several things unexplained and unresolved – at least for me. Despite this unevenness, I am still glad that I have read The Humming Room.
Thea: It has been a very long time since I have read The Secret Garden (or since I have watched any of the many film adaptations – my favorite being the one with Maggie Smith), and my memory of the story is a little fuzzy – I remember the highlights (the broken family, the supposedly crippled son and standoffish father, and for some reason I remember that maid Martha had a cockney accent), but I went into The Humming Room with no real expectations or demands. Happily, I found myself easily slipping into this more modern re-imagining of The Secret Garden without any trouble. Instead of following a young girl whose parents died of a cholera outbreak in British colonized India, The Humming Room takes a young girl named Roo from her trailer park home after her drug dealing father dies to live on a strange isolated island called Cough Rock in her uncle’s mansion. The story runs fairly parallel to the original source material – the orphaned girl moves to a secluded home only to stumble on a family saga, and of course, a literal and metaphorical secret garden that will blossom once again with care and time.
From a storytelling perspective, I love Ellen Potter’s sense of atmosphere and backdrop – one of my favorite parts of The Humming Room is the setting of Cough Rock, the history behind the name (the mansion used to be a Children’s Hospital for those suffering from Tuberculosis), and the gothic, ghostly touch to the story. I loved the feel of the island, the river that surrounds it, and the folklore of the Faigne and the Yellow Girl.
That said, I do have to agree with Ana in that while the style and setting to The Humming Room is beautiful in the first portion of the novel, something is lost by the second half, and the ending to me felt rushed and incomplete. I also remain unconvinced of the “magical”/fantasy aspects of the novel…but perhaps that’s just my own personal taste.
On the Characters:
Ana: Roo is a wonderful strong-willed protagonist and I thought her story arc was beautifully done and it showed character growth. The transition from a malnourished, lonely, stand-offish child to a blossoming young girl was my favourite aspect of the novel. I loved the small details of how Roo interacted with others and with the world around her – her hiding places, her talking to animals and her connection with the natural world.
Unfortunately, the secondary characters are not developed much beyond their initial introductions and this is especially true about the villains of the piece are so underdeveloped (they shows up, they do villainy things, they leave never to come back) as to be completely pointless.
Thea: I *LOVED* Roo as our heroine – she’s quiet and thoughtful and, as one character describes her, she takes in everything the world has to offer and makes herself hard like a steel beam. She watches, she listens, and she learns; I had no problems believing in this twelve year old protagonist and her own unique way of seeing and reacting to people around her.
I’m a little hesitant to name any other characters, because to do so might spoil folks that are unfamiliar with The Secret Garden, so I’ll try to be sufficiently vague here: The characters from The Secret Garden are all in The Humming Room, following the same types of arcs and characterizations as those upon whom they are based.
Again, the only disappointing thing to me was how rushed the book felt by its climactic scenes, and how I could quite buy into the fantasy-ish elements of the story (in particular, one fantasy-ish character).
Final Thoughts, Observations & Rating::
Ana: Despite its unevenness, I truly enjoyed The Humming Room and it made me really want to read The Secret Garden and see how it compares.
Thea: I agree that the book is uneven, yet I still thoroughly enjoyed reading The Humming Room. Ellen Potter’s beautiful sense of imagery, setting, and her loving care for description and language completely won me over. I’ll certainly be reading more from this author in the future.
May 26, 2012
I am disappointed with this book.
On the one hand, it's a not bad story of Roo Fanshaw, an orphaned girl taken in by her uncle, who discovers new friends and brings a neglected garden back to life.
On the other hand, it's a complete retread of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, almost scene for scene and character for character.
The author says outright this book was "inspired" by Burnett's classic. That's probably a good thing, because otherwise she would probably be at the center of a firestorm for, if not plagiarism, out and out theft of the entire story.
How close is it?
(Major, major, major spoiler alerts)
There are original elements, most notably a hint of possible supernatural involvement (which does not, in my opinion, improve the story), and an overbearing tutor.
I wonder about some things. In the original story there is an army of offstage servants taking care of the house. In The Humming Room it's only Roo, Ms. Valentine, Violet, and sometimes Roo's tutor on the entire island in the great sanatorium. Who keeps the place clean? Who cooks?
The environment of the Saint Lawrence River islands sounds magnificent, it's true.
The Humming Room is told faster than the original book. Even in The Secret Garden, the ending feels rushed and a bit contrived. This book is shorter than its model, and a lot happens without explanation. Roo is a thief at the beginning of the book, then decides to stop being one. Doctor Oulette is onscreen for a single brief scene and says almost nothing, then later causes an intense but brief crisis while still offstage. A piece of jungle folklore is introduced early to be used as a deus ex machina later -- how and why it works is never explained.
I can see why some people would like a modern, simpler, easier-to-read retread of The Secret Garden. But it seems to me that this version is too slavish an imitation, simply a modern skin put over a story that was already written, and written well, a hundred years ago.
On the one hand, it's a not bad story of Roo Fanshaw, an orphaned girl taken in by her uncle, who discovers new friends and brings a neglected garden back to life.
On the other hand, it's a complete retread of Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, almost scene for scene and character for character.
The author says outright this book was "inspired" by Burnett's classic. That's probably a good thing, because otherwise she would probably be at the center of a firestorm for, if not plagiarism, out and out theft of the entire story.
How close is it?
(Major, major, major spoiler alerts)
There are original elements, most notably a hint of possible supernatural involvement (which does not, in my opinion, improve the story), and an overbearing tutor.
I wonder about some things. In the original story there is an army of offstage servants taking care of the house. In The Humming Room it's only Roo, Ms. Valentine, Violet, and sometimes Roo's tutor on the entire island in the great sanatorium. Who keeps the place clean? Who cooks?
The environment of the Saint Lawrence River islands sounds magnificent, it's true.
The Humming Room is told faster than the original book. Even in The Secret Garden, the ending feels rushed and a bit contrived. This book is shorter than its model, and a lot happens without explanation. Roo is a thief at the beginning of the book, then decides to stop being one. Doctor Oulette is onscreen for a single brief scene and says almost nothing, then later causes an intense but brief crisis while still offstage. A piece of jungle folklore is introduced early to be used as a deus ex machina later -- how and why it works is never explained.
I can see why some people would like a modern, simpler, easier-to-read retread of The Secret Garden. But it seems to me that this version is too slavish an imitation, simply a modern skin put over a story that was already written, and written well, a hundred years ago.
August 25, 2012
Before picking up the book, I had no idea that it was closely based on The Secret Garden. I just knew Ellen Potter wrote it, and I think she's an excellent writer. Honestly, if the inside cover hadn't mentioned The Secret Garden, I still wouldn't have known for a while, because it was not immediately obvious. (Once it becomes obvious, though, it is quite obvious.) I know some readers haven't liked how closely it mirrors the original story, but I thought the characters and setting were unique enough for the book to stand alone. And I really enjoyed reading it. I kept feeling like Ms. Potter was going to introduce something magical or fantastic, but any magic was fully believable and not really classified as magic. More like mysteries of life. This book made me want to go reread The Secret Garden right away, which I think makes it a rather fitting tribute to an excellent book. Those unfamiliar with Burnett's work should find it enjoyable on its own, while Secret Garden fans will probably enjoy seeing how various story elements parallel the original.
October 25, 2015
Potter narrates The Humming Room with a finesse and a skill that makes reading the novel a true (serious) pleasure. Roo Fanshaw is an amazing protagonist. She is half wild, existing in a world that measures space and how she can use it to conceal herself. Her world is entirely different from the world that adults exist in and I love how Potter doesn’t spell out Roo’s early home life to the reader and instead hints at it in a way that older readers will catch it while the younger readers may not be able to. This is what makes The Humming Room such a multi-faceted novel that will work for a person no matter what their age.
I didn’t know it was a retelling of The Secret Garden and to be honest, I didn’t think there was much emphasis given to the garden as was given to the fledgling relationship between the cousins. It was truly refreshing to read Roo’s metamorphosis, for lack of a better, from the scared half-wild child she was into the still, eccentric, but someone a bit calmer, a lot happier. Also, the real wild child, the boy who may or may not be real, the boy who is legend, he is also one of the most interesting characters I have recently come across in a novel.
I love the hint of a romance between Roo and this boy. It’s just a whisper really, just the subtlest hint and I think that is what makes it even more awesome. The little cousin’s floundering, his sickness, the ominous doctor, all these separately come together to create a novel that is immensely entertaining and that lets you have a glimpse of the magical world of childhood that many of us have unwillingly left behind. The only problem I had with this novel was how abruptly it ended. I wasn’t ready for it to end, I thought there was a lot more to be told and that Roo had a lot more story in her but alas.
Do I recommend this? Hell yeah. I think you should all pick yourselves up a copy as soon as you possibly can.
I didn’t know it was a retelling of The Secret Garden and to be honest, I didn’t think there was much emphasis given to the garden as was given to the fledgling relationship between the cousins. It was truly refreshing to read Roo’s metamorphosis, for lack of a better, from the scared half-wild child she was into the still, eccentric, but someone a bit calmer, a lot happier. Also, the real wild child, the boy who may or may not be real, the boy who is legend, he is also one of the most interesting characters I have recently come across in a novel.
I love the hint of a romance between Roo and this boy. It’s just a whisper really, just the subtlest hint and I think that is what makes it even more awesome. The little cousin’s floundering, his sickness, the ominous doctor, all these separately come together to create a novel that is immensely entertaining and that lets you have a glimpse of the magical world of childhood that many of us have unwillingly left behind. The only problem I had with this novel was how abruptly it ended. I wasn’t ready for it to end, I thought there was a lot more to be told and that Roo had a lot more story in her but alas.
Do I recommend this? Hell yeah. I think you should all pick yourselves up a copy as soon as you possibly can.
April 10, 2023
While I did like this story, I think it was a little too close to being the Secret Garden for me. It read almost verbatim to the original story with only slight changes. I also feel like the emotional toll the Secret Garden had on me was misplaced in this book. It just didn't hit me as hard. The things that I loved about the Secret Garden - the lessons and quotes - weren't in The Humming Room. It just felt more surface level than deep for me. I would also say, because of some of the context of this story, it does read a little more on an upper middle grade level. Overall, like I said, this was a good story, but it didn't venture into enough of the unique aspects to be more than just an average read for me.
August 21, 2019
I still really need to read Ellen’s THE KNEEBONE BOY.... It’s been on my shelf for about 6 years.
Read
October 3, 2014Most people assume that being strong or tough is the skill that will protect you and save you, help you survive when you're in a dangerous situation, but Roo Fanshaw sees it differently. Her special skill is hiding, being able to disappear at a moment’s notice. Roo has spent most of her life hiding, finding the smallest spaces to curl herself into. It is in these small spaces that she feels able to breathe freely; in fact, open spaces make her feel enclosed, as if she can't breath. It is Roo’s hiding skill that saves her life when her parents are murdered in the trailer where they lived. Roo was hiding underneath it, close to the earth. Roo feels she has a quiet connection to the earth and the life that dwells in it. She puts her ear close to the ground and she can hear, actually hear, the sound of life teeming beneath it –a kind of humming sound. Though she loves the quiet reflection of small safe places, Roo’s life doesn't stay quiet for long. After her parents die, a long-lost eccentric uncle agrees to take her in. She moves to his mansion on Cough Rock Island, a mansion that was once a hospital for children sick with tuberculosis, full of secrets and ghosts. Roo doesn't believe in ghost stories, but there are strange noises coming from the forbidden east wing of the house, and the locals are full of superstitious stories of the river and the mansion. But the river, the mansion, and life on the islands have their own story to tell. Since she came to Cough Rock, Roo is full of questions. Who gave her uncle those bloodied scratches across his face? What is that strange humming sound Roo hears through the wall? Who is that wild boy canoeing up and down the river? Roo is determined to come out of her hiding space (both physically and mentally) and learn the truth about the house and her family. Though everyone in the house tries to keep her away, Roo discovers a secret garden hidden in the center of the mansion, a garden locked away because it holds a tragic secret. This story is inspired by the classic "The Secret Garden." Though elements of the story unfold in a familiar way, the characters that Potter creates are quirky and likable. Roo is strong and feisty. The author has done an excellent job of giving readers a different angle on a familiar story. Reading The Humming Room may even inspire you to take a favorite classic tale, write what it would be like in a different time, with different characters, and see how the story unfolds.
March 28, 2012
Hesitant about a rewrite of one of my favorite books, I was pleased to read the last page feeling that this book's connection to The Secret Garden actually enhanced the experience. Many of my students want to read that classic, but the language (including the Yorkshire dialect and accent of some characters) makes it inaccessible to most non-native speakers for several years. Abridged versions have their place, but aren't the best solution. The Humming Room, however, has its own merits, distinct from its identity as a rewrite.
There are also two issues which this book is better able to address for 21st century sensibilities. First, the Dickon character's relationship with animals respects their wildness better; no herding a menagerie into bedrooms here. Dickon may have been my first literary crush as a child, but I do prefer this updated attitude. Second, Potter has smoothed out the deus ex machina that abruptly brought about the resolution in Burnett's original. It was more common in children's books of the time to have a realistic story interrupted by one moment of "...and then magic happens," but modern readers expect greater consistency. Although the overall pacing of The Humming Room is a bit off - the exposition lags, and both the main action and denouement feel rushed - the resolution's nature is of a piece with the rest of the novel.
The most telling evidence of my opinion of The Humming Room? Potter's previous book, The Kneebone Boy, is now on my nightstand.
There are also two issues which this book is better able to address for 21st century sensibilities. First, the Dickon character's relationship with animals respects their wildness better; no herding a menagerie into bedrooms here. Dickon may have been my first literary crush as a child, but I do prefer this updated attitude. Second, Potter has smoothed out the deus ex machina that abruptly brought about the resolution in Burnett's original. It was more common in children's books of the time to have a realistic story interrupted by one moment of "...and then magic happens," but modern readers expect greater consistency. Although the overall pacing of The Humming Room is a bit off - the exposition lags, and both the main action and denouement feel rushed - the resolution's nature is of a piece with the rest of the novel.
The most telling evidence of my opinion of The Humming Room? Potter's previous book, The Kneebone Boy, is now on my nightstand.
June 1, 2012
Almost four stars. I like Potter's writing and characters. This one didn't feel as risky (or as meaningful) as The Kneebone Boy (and now I can hear Peter Sieruta's voice in my head, saying "well, maybe I'll actually like this one, then; it's an intriguing premise, an updated version of The Secret Garden"). I loved the Secret Garden parallels in the first few chapters--the hiding, the being transported away to her uncle's place by the housekeeper/personal assistant--but rather wished that things had moved in separate directions from there. I didn't think the rest of it worked as well. In particular, there was an otherworldly/unreal quality to the dead mother's story that didn't seem to fit with the stark reality of Roo's life. I wasn't sure if that was intended or if I just didn't believe it, but either way, I didn't think it worked that well. And I didn't think the Colin-parallel character worked very well. I loved the upstate New York river island setting, and the sanatorium, and the way I felt when she was going down the chute (and remembered what the chute was used for). A lot of good things in this book, but I don't think it's one of the best of the year.
May 11, 2015
The humming room by Ellen potter is a mystery about this girl named Roo who just lost her parents and has to live on this island with her uncle and this spoiled brat and uncovers something big that might just change things.
The reason I love this book is because of the girls personality and how she seems fierce and ready to take on anything. Also how the book leads with these adventures and the room the secret of the hidden room was shocking about what happened in their before she uncovered it
The reason I love this book is because of the girls personality and how she seems fierce and ready to take on anything. Also how the book leads with these adventures and the room the secret of the hidden room was shocking about what happened in their before she uncovered it
March 10, 2012
Meh. This wasn't "inspired" by The Secret Garden ... it was The Secret Garden retold with updates. I suppose Potter's writing is good, although Jack waxing poetic about the river seemed forced. But I didn't really warm up to any of the characters, and I got bored sitting under a rock with Roo for HOURS.
March 12, 2013
Spring break bookaday #4. 2013-14 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee. Not sure what to make of this book. I was expecting a ghost story as the beginning was similar to The Graveyard Book or Potter's Olivia Kidney stories. The Jack character adds a bit of a folktale flavor. Wonder how this book will hold up against the other, stronger titles on the list and how the students will receive it.
May 26, 2025
Beautiful little book!!! I picked this up for free a few years ago and finally read it as one of my power outage reads. I still haven't read The Secret Garden, but the plot has been explained to me before, and that's possibly the best level of understanding to go into this one with, because I absolutely loved it.
First, this is a book that *knows* how to do a natural setting. The island, the river, the little creatures Roo observes, the way she listens to the breathing of the earth, all of it's fantastic description. I liked how her bond grew with the faces of the island
The best thing it did was the connections through *time*, I think.
Good book. Ten outta ten story of abused, neglected kids finding each other and finding something to live for and growing and Being Okay. I do not think eye color is affected by trauma but it's OKAY it is a PLANT METAPHOR.
First, this is a book that *knows* how to do a natural setting. The island, the river, the little creatures Roo observes, the way she listens to the breathing of the earth, all of it's fantastic description. I liked how her bond grew with the faces of the island
The best thing it did was the connections through *time*, I think.
Good book. Ten outta ten story of abused, neglected kids finding each other and finding something to live for and growing and Being Okay. I do not think eye color is affected by trauma but it's OKAY it is a PLANT METAPHOR.
August 7, 2018
Excellent, if a bit less fleshed out than it could have been. I think the most beautiful part of The Secret Garden, the book this book is based on, is how slowly it takes everything - really letting you immerse yourself in the secret. This book felt like it could have been twice as long again without losing my interest.
April 20, 2017
One of my last good family read alouds!
March 5, 2012
The Humming Room by Ellen Potter
Pages: 192
Release Date: February 28th, 2012
Date Read: 2012, January 14th-16th
Received: ARC from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars
Recommended to: 11+
SUMMARY -
Roo Fanshaw is small for her age, and very shy. Her father, a man who dappled in illegal activities for a long time, has just been murdered, leaving Roo alone and in the custody of whoever will take her. When she is taken from her home to her eccentric Uncle's house on an island, Roo finds this harder to bear than almost anything else.
When she arrives at her Uncle's mansion, what used to be a hospital for ill children, Roo finds herself drawn to the nature and the river on the outside - as well as the Humming that comes from the walls of the west wing. There are secrets here, and Roo is determined to uncover them. Can she unlock the mysteries of her family and heal her broken heart?
MY THOUGHTS -
This story is incredibly sweet - and also very powerful. I remember watching "The Secret Garden" movie a few times when I was younger, but I never got around to the book. I wanted to read this even before I knew it was a retelling - and finding that out just made me even more excited.
I really like Ellen Potter's style. She uses words and sets pace very gracefully. Her writing style creates very clear imagery, very strong and interesting characters, and a touching, heartfelt story. I'm honestly really impressed by how beautiful this book is.
CHARACTER NOTES -
Roo Fanshaw is the quirky, realistic and vivid character I think everyone wishes they could write/read about all the time. She's the kind of character I always loved most growing up - the one you can relate to, but who has different struggles and a very realistic and unique personality. Roo had me eagerly awaiting her every action. Her personal struggles are deep; her endeavors - in the garden and with the boys she meets - are very touching. In this story, Roo's life is turned upside-down: she changes (and still stays very consistent), and she changes others around her.
I really liked Violet's character - funny, talkative, and full of laughter. She brightened teh story a lot; without her it would have been a bit too dark.
The Faigne and the other boy, Philip (I won't say anything in case you don't know much about the original story), were very different and both absolutely necessary to the story. Part of me wishes there had been more of both of them, but then again, it was great as it was.
STORY NOTES -
The Humming Room is a pretty darn intense story. Not like action-packed, but...eerie. Roo's adventures in her Uncle's dark castle, and in the almost fairytale-like land around it were riveting. Cough Rock was the perfect backdrop to the mystery and discovery in the story.
For the most part, all the events and conversations were very well-placed; everything about the story was emotionally gripping. The two things that bothered me, the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars, were these: the part of me that wishes there was more development about the boys, and the end scenes. Those last two or three scenes were good, but not great like the rest. They came to a close a little too quickly, like they could have been stretched out maybe 15 more pages. Roo's Uncle Fanshaw could have been brought into things more as well.
But overall, everything really was fantastic. From the garden to the Faigne; from the despair to the joy - I can't wait to have this one on my shelf and let my friends read it!
SUMMING IT UP -
The Humming Room is simple, yet so intricate as well. It was a really great read and I'm ecstatic to read Potter's previous book, The Kneebone Boy, which I've wanted to read forever but haven't found the time to. Now it's on my priority list, because Potter's work is just too good to pass up!
For the Parents -
Nothing at all!
Pages: 192
Release Date: February 28th, 2012
Date Read: 2012, January 14th-16th
Received: ARC from NetGalley
Rating: 4/5 stars
Recommended to: 11+
SUMMARY -
Roo Fanshaw is small for her age, and very shy. Her father, a man who dappled in illegal activities for a long time, has just been murdered, leaving Roo alone and in the custody of whoever will take her. When she is taken from her home to her eccentric Uncle's house on an island, Roo finds this harder to bear than almost anything else.
When she arrives at her Uncle's mansion, what used to be a hospital for ill children, Roo finds herself drawn to the nature and the river on the outside - as well as the Humming that comes from the walls of the west wing. There are secrets here, and Roo is determined to uncover them. Can she unlock the mysteries of her family and heal her broken heart?
MY THOUGHTS -
This story is incredibly sweet - and also very powerful. I remember watching "The Secret Garden" movie a few times when I was younger, but I never got around to the book. I wanted to read this even before I knew it was a retelling - and finding that out just made me even more excited.
I really like Ellen Potter's style. She uses words and sets pace very gracefully. Her writing style creates very clear imagery, very strong and interesting characters, and a touching, heartfelt story. I'm honestly really impressed by how beautiful this book is.
CHARACTER NOTES -
Roo Fanshaw is the quirky, realistic and vivid character I think everyone wishes they could write/read about all the time. She's the kind of character I always loved most growing up - the one you can relate to, but who has different struggles and a very realistic and unique personality. Roo had me eagerly awaiting her every action. Her personal struggles are deep; her endeavors - in the garden and with the boys she meets - are very touching. In this story, Roo's life is turned upside-down: she changes (and still stays very consistent), and she changes others around her.
I really liked Violet's character - funny, talkative, and full of laughter. She brightened teh story a lot; without her it would have been a bit too dark.
The Faigne and the other boy, Philip (I won't say anything in case you don't know much about the original story), were very different and both absolutely necessary to the story. Part of me wishes there had been more of both of them, but then again, it was great as it was.
STORY NOTES -
The Humming Room is a pretty darn intense story. Not like action-packed, but...eerie. Roo's adventures in her Uncle's dark castle, and in the almost fairytale-like land around it were riveting. Cough Rock was the perfect backdrop to the mystery and discovery in the story.
For the most part, all the events and conversations were very well-placed; everything about the story was emotionally gripping. The two things that bothered me, the reason for 4 instead of 5 stars, were these: the part of me that wishes there was more development about the boys, and the end scenes. Those last two or three scenes were good, but not great like the rest. They came to a close a little too quickly, like they could have been stretched out maybe 15 more pages. Roo's Uncle Fanshaw could have been brought into things more as well.
But overall, everything really was fantastic. From the garden to the Faigne; from the despair to the joy - I can't wait to have this one on my shelf and let my friends read it!
SUMMING IT UP -
The Humming Room is simple, yet so intricate as well. It was a really great read and I'm ecstatic to read Potter's previous book, The Kneebone Boy, which I've wanted to read forever but haven't found the time to. Now it's on my priority list, because Potter's work is just too good to pass up!
For the Parents -
Nothing at all!
August 3, 2012
To start off with fairness this is an MG read, not my forte but if the story sounds intriguing enough I'll snag it. THE HUMMING ROOM fit this profile. I keep a special place in my cockle area for things related to THE SECRET GARDEN so when I saw that this book was influenced by it I accepted it for review. It was definitely a riveting story but the ending was abrupt, a blink and you miss it kind of thing that derailed the rest of the work for me perhaps a little more than what it should have.
Roo is an unfortunate case born to the wrong parents and as a result ends up in the care of her uncle who's more absent than present and keeps his kid locked up in his room for his sake, apparently. It's a cyclical thing. Phillip got depressed when his mother died and became bedridden but his father didn't really know what to do with himself and became more withdrawn, making them both more reclusive and fostering an environment of neglect and anti-social behavior. Crappy situation.
Roo's a spunky little thing and doesn't put up with the crap that's been allowed to foster in this house and, as can probably be predicted, her presence riles things up, disrupts the otherwise fragile order of things. THE HUMMING ROOM sticks pretty closely to THE SECRET GARDEN storyline so if you know the latter you'll know the steps Phillip takes and ends up with a reintroduction to his father and all of that.
Really it's a compelling story with the scene set magnificently. The house, which is really an old children's hospital, is given this incredibly creepy air that'll give you the chills just reading it. I mean how horrifying would it be to live in an old hospital where more children died than lived? Seriously? It may be Stephen King's wet dream but I sincerely doubt it's a child's first choice at a play place. But I think that was the best part of THE HUMMING ROOM, Potter's ability to make Roo's surrounding shine. Or cake them in cobwebs, as it were. The setting itself was it's own character, from the personification of the river to the garden, everything was alive.
I felt Jack, the river boy, was ultimately irrelevant to the plot as a whole since the story really centered around Roo, Phillip and Roo's uncle. He was a means to draw Roo out of her shell which precipitated the events that moved the story forward but he didn't have much else of a function. Remove Jack from the story and I think it would have worked out just fine.
As for the end, like I said above, it was really abrupt and I felt it was resolved too easily, glossing over what could have been a really good healing period to see between Phillip and his father for a flash forward moment. It plays into the nice resolution that I think a lot of MG novels have but as an outsider looking in it left me a bit unsatisfied. I would have liked to have seen more.
Ultimately it's a read with a lot of ambiance that follows pretty closely to THE SECRET GARDEN premise. It's a good story and you'll end up feeling a lot for Roo, I think, since she really is an unfortunate character and the adults are a little less than understanding towards her (you can start a drinking game for how many times they threaten to send her back to foster care as a means of discipline, effing terrible). But she's a BIG character that, once she's out of her own shell, will pull others out of theirs as well. She's goal-oriented and has an uncanny knack for hearing the earth thrive. Kind of weird but it has it's part in the story. A good story at that.
Roo is an unfortunate case born to the wrong parents and as a result ends up in the care of her uncle who's more absent than present and keeps his kid locked up in his room for his sake, apparently. It's a cyclical thing. Phillip got depressed when his mother died and became bedridden but his father didn't really know what to do with himself and became more withdrawn, making them both more reclusive and fostering an environment of neglect and anti-social behavior. Crappy situation.
Roo's a spunky little thing and doesn't put up with the crap that's been allowed to foster in this house and, as can probably be predicted, her presence riles things up, disrupts the otherwise fragile order of things. THE HUMMING ROOM sticks pretty closely to THE SECRET GARDEN storyline so if you know the latter you'll know the steps Phillip takes and ends up with a reintroduction to his father and all of that.
Really it's a compelling story with the scene set magnificently. The house, which is really an old children's hospital, is given this incredibly creepy air that'll give you the chills just reading it. I mean how horrifying would it be to live in an old hospital where more children died than lived? Seriously? It may be Stephen King's wet dream but I sincerely doubt it's a child's first choice at a play place. But I think that was the best part of THE HUMMING ROOM, Potter's ability to make Roo's surrounding shine. Or cake them in cobwebs, as it were. The setting itself was it's own character, from the personification of the river to the garden, everything was alive.
I felt Jack, the river boy, was ultimately irrelevant to the plot as a whole since the story really centered around Roo, Phillip and Roo's uncle. He was a means to draw Roo out of her shell which precipitated the events that moved the story forward but he didn't have much else of a function. Remove Jack from the story and I think it would have worked out just fine.
As for the end, like I said above, it was really abrupt and I felt it was resolved too easily, glossing over what could have been a really good healing period to see between Phillip and his father for a flash forward moment. It plays into the nice resolution that I think a lot of MG novels have but as an outsider looking in it left me a bit unsatisfied. I would have liked to have seen more.
Ultimately it's a read with a lot of ambiance that follows pretty closely to THE SECRET GARDEN premise. It's a good story and you'll end up feeling a lot for Roo, I think, since she really is an unfortunate character and the adults are a little less than understanding towards her (you can start a drinking game for how many times they threaten to send her back to foster care as a means of discipline, effing terrible). But she's a BIG character that, once she's out of her own shell, will pull others out of theirs as well. She's goal-oriented and has an uncanny knack for hearing the earth thrive. Kind of weird but it has it's part in the story. A good story at that.
August 26, 2016
The Humming Room by Ellen Potter is a fantastic, modern retelling of The Secret Garden. In fact, other than the names and the setting, The Humming Room closely follows the beloved original. So why read The Humming Room, you say, instead of just re-reading The Secret Garden?
I give you – Roo. Distrustful and tough, wild and willful, Roo endeared herself to me from the first page. Something about Potter’s sharp and unsentimental description of the flatness of her green eyes, were they should be alive and brilliant but are spiritless instead --- won me.
Roo has learned how to hide from the harshness of the world. She has no friends and refuses to talk to anyone, even if well-meaning. Easy enough if you're quiet and small and your charming but criminal father and his trailer trash girlfriend have no parenting instincts. But even Roo can't hide from the social worker who comes to get her after they're murdered. From hiding in a garden of pilfered, artificial flowers she created as a sanctuary below her family’s trailer, Roo is taken by the social worker to remote Cough Island to be raised by a rich, mysterious uncle she never before knew existed.
"All around her on the icy, packed earth were dozens of tiny flowers, some made of blown glass, some trapped in Lucite domes-daisies, tiger lilies, a bouquet of pink roses, paper-thin red poppies. There was a pair of enamel earrings shaped like marigolds, large and gaudy, which she had stolen from the drugstore. She had mounded up earth and planted them by sticking their posts through the ground. Roo considered the little garden before nudging the poppies closer to the marigolds and putting the snake between them. Then she flung herself to the ground and listened to the earth. It was something she often did, checking the ground the way other girls might check the mirror. She could hear all its movements, small, fluttering sounds of life that fascinated her."
There’s a quiet beauty to Potter’s writing which reflects Roo’s personality – ever watchful and observant. Roo is sensitive to everything around her, even if it’s not immediately apparent to anyone else. She can find an all but dead garden that’s been walled up on the island; she can hear life humming in a seemingly lifeless earth. Cough Island just wild and stimulating enough that it awakens Roo’s adventurous spirit. In doggedly resuscitating the secret garden and making unlikely friendships, Roo blossoms as well, coming to life when she stops hiding herself from the world and becomes part of it.
The message in The Humming Room is exquisitely conveyed: Like the secret garden, Roo and other characters in may have walled off their emotions because of painful tragedy, but there’s always a chance for redemption and renewal.
March 6, 2012
After The Kneebone Boy of course I was going to read Ellen Potter’s newest book. It didn’t hurt that it sounded intriguing, and that it was inspired by Francis Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden did not serve as a detractor either. In short, The Humming Room was going to be win-win-win. And turns out–it is!
I am going to admit to you that I am not the biggest fan of The Secret Garden, primarily because I found the characters incredibly annoying. The blame lies completely with me, I’m sure. However, I was spared this same experience with The Humming Room. I even found one to be downright charming–’course, he was supposed to be.
You don’t have to have read The Secret Garden to read Potter’s story, but if you have, I think you’ll appreciate that which inspired and that which underwent change. For one, I loved that the setting was a sanitarium, it was very atmospheric. Roo comes out of poverty, and while she has a temper, Potter has set her differently and it translates well into the contemporary American setting. And the non-cousin has a bit of lore attached to him that is marvelous–and romantic. It is all very sweet, which balances out the mysterious and the melancholy. Potter does not flinch from the tragic, but carries the story by sheer force of personality–those of her characters. Potter stays true to the themes we loved in Burnett’s exploration. These are two great authors you and the young ones should be reading (boy or girl).
Ellen Potter knows how to tell a story. It has a nice brief introduction and closing and the metaphors presented throughout are lovely lovely. Story and character both have a nice progression, and manages to embarrass the longer novels offered on juvenile shelves. It is a good quick fun read that robs the reader of nothing.
——————————————–
recommendations: ages 8 & up; any gender. Potter deftly handles the deaths, as well as the specter of neglectful parents (one set of whom are known drug-dealers). Good for eco-crit; for creatives; for lovers of adventures and lore and mysteries and those brief chills at the back of the neck.
of note: The Doctor Oulette’s name kept making me think “oubliette;” which is oddly fitting. Also, I like how she deals with the character. Not everyone has to be explained. You can make a pretty good decision in regards to what he is all about; and yet there is room to apply a reasonable amount of gray.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
I am going to admit to you that I am not the biggest fan of The Secret Garden, primarily because I found the characters incredibly annoying. The blame lies completely with me, I’m sure. However, I was spared this same experience with The Humming Room. I even found one to be downright charming–’course, he was supposed to be.
You don’t have to have read The Secret Garden to read Potter’s story, but if you have, I think you’ll appreciate that which inspired and that which underwent change. For one, I loved that the setting was a sanitarium, it was very atmospheric. Roo comes out of poverty, and while she has a temper, Potter has set her differently and it translates well into the contemporary American setting. And the non-cousin has a bit of lore attached to him that is marvelous–and romantic. It is all very sweet, which balances out the mysterious and the melancholy. Potter does not flinch from the tragic, but carries the story by sheer force of personality–those of her characters. Potter stays true to the themes we loved in Burnett’s exploration. These are two great authors you and the young ones should be reading (boy or girl).
Ellen Potter knows how to tell a story. It has a nice brief introduction and closing and the metaphors presented throughout are lovely lovely. Story and character both have a nice progression, and manages to embarrass the longer novels offered on juvenile shelves. It is a good quick fun read that robs the reader of nothing.
——————————————–
recommendations: ages 8 & up; any gender. Potter deftly handles the deaths, as well as the specter of neglectful parents (one set of whom are known drug-dealers). Good for eco-crit; for creatives; for lovers of adventures and lore and mysteries and those brief chills at the back of the neck.
of note: The Doctor Oulette’s name kept making me think “oubliette;” which is oddly fitting. Also, I like how she deals with the character. Not everyone has to be explained. You can make a pretty good decision in regards to what he is all about; and yet there is room to apply a reasonable amount of gray.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
February 26, 2012
First I'd like to say that though it says this novel was inspired by The Secret Garden, I thought I was reading a Middle Grade version of Jane Eyre. Yes, there were a lot of differences, but the gothic setting, the hidden room, the crying, the secret rooms. It all reminded me of Jane Eyre. But despite all that, I have to say, I loved Roo Fanshaw! This is a kid that has been through it all. She was hiding under her trailer, playing with the glass garden she had planted under there while the policemen are asking questions about the murder of her parents. Roo is strong. She compartmentalizes the pain and shuts it away. Save it for a day she can deal with it. She takes all the new experiences in stride . I never felt sorry for her, she just wouldn't let me. She was so inquisitive and didn't follow the rules. I loved everything about her from the way she hid in a little cave watching the water and learning the earth, to the way she explored the house when she was told not to. She could listen to the earth and hear things growing. She is one of my favorite protagonists in contemporary literature.
The other characters, and I'll only name a few, the nasty Ms. Valentine, the always cheerful and permissive Violet, the elusive, but loyal and educational Jack and the never present Uncle. All of them add a lot to the story and make for an adventurous time. The story is laid out with great suspense and detail, but not too much. It's well thought out and enjoyable. The writing is easy to read and feel and there is a great feeling of what's going to happen next and I couldn't stop reading it until I finished it. Yes, it's like the Secret Garden and Jane Eyre and Roo is going to forever be in my heart for her bravery and her unwillingness to give up even in the face of insurmountable odds.
I honestly don't know if this is a Middle Grade book or a YA book but it would be fine for either. It's light on the romance and big on the mystery. But the main characters are 14 or so I'm not sure if that makes it YA or not. I didn't think it was that close to the Secret Garden. There were a lot of mysteries to be discovered other than the Secret Garden. I highly recommend this one!
I received an ARC of this from the publisher through NetGalley. I was in no way compensated for my review.
This is one I will be buying for my shelf to keep to read again.
The other characters, and I'll only name a few, the nasty Ms. Valentine, the always cheerful and permissive Violet, the elusive, but loyal and educational Jack and the never present Uncle. All of them add a lot to the story and make for an adventurous time. The story is laid out with great suspense and detail, but not too much. It's well thought out and enjoyable. The writing is easy to read and feel and there is a great feeling of what's going to happen next and I couldn't stop reading it until I finished it. Yes, it's like the Secret Garden and Jane Eyre and Roo is going to forever be in my heart for her bravery and her unwillingness to give up even in the face of insurmountable odds.
I honestly don't know if this is a Middle Grade book or a YA book but it would be fine for either. It's light on the romance and big on the mystery. But the main characters are 14 or so I'm not sure if that makes it YA or not. I didn't think it was that close to the Secret Garden. There were a lot of mysteries to be discovered other than the Secret Garden. I highly recommend this one!
I received an ARC of this from the publisher through NetGalley. I was in no way compensated for my review.
This is one I will be buying for my shelf to keep to read again.
March 2, 2012
Let’s say we have a conversation about classic children’s literature. And when I say classic, what I really mean is old/classic (books over 120 years young!). The first ones that pop into my head are Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women and Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden. I have read both of these novels multiple times, but the latter is one that has aged well as I have gone from child to adult. Its story and characterization never grow…old.
Ellen Potter’s The Humming Room is a retelling of Burnett’s masterpiece, and I was both excited and apprehensive about reading it – but I needn’t have been. Why? It’s really lovely.
The Humming Room is Roo’s story. When we meet her, she is hiding, she has seen it all, and she knows that there isn’t a happy ending. But even though her situation is tragic, there’s a sliver of hope: Roo has a rich uncle, and a chance for a fresh start. How she takes to her new situation will determine who she becomes, and whether she allows the world and her circumstances to change her for the better.
Potter’s character study of Roo is PERFECT. Her circumstances enhance the reader’s sympathy for her, even as she is sullen, solitary, and unhappy. Her inquisitive nature saves her, in a sense, and that theme is a major one throughout the book. Also stellar: the descriptions and history of Cough Rock. I was completely enchanted and mesmerized by the island world.
The plot, if you have read The Secret Garden, is no surprise. What is interesting is the way Potter reinvented it by creating a completely unique place (Cough Rock, as mentioned). She also added substantial charm to the story with the particular folklore and superstition of the St. Lawrence islands.
The Humming Room is a delightful and dear meditation on an old story, and a tale set in a new world that I long to inhabit. My only complaint is that it felt too short, and rushed at the end. I wanted more time on Cough Rock with Roo, Jack and Sir.
Recommended for: fans of Burnett’s The Secret Garden, anyone looking for a beautifully-written middle grade book with a secret at its heart, and those who have never forgotten the wonder of first discovery – of a good book, of nature, and of friendship.
Ellen Potter’s The Humming Room is a retelling of Burnett’s masterpiece, and I was both excited and apprehensive about reading it – but I needn’t have been. Why? It’s really lovely.
The Humming Room is Roo’s story. When we meet her, she is hiding, she has seen it all, and she knows that there isn’t a happy ending. But even though her situation is tragic, there’s a sliver of hope: Roo has a rich uncle, and a chance for a fresh start. How she takes to her new situation will determine who she becomes, and whether she allows the world and her circumstances to change her for the better.
Potter’s character study of Roo is PERFECT. Her circumstances enhance the reader’s sympathy for her, even as she is sullen, solitary, and unhappy. Her inquisitive nature saves her, in a sense, and that theme is a major one throughout the book. Also stellar: the descriptions and history of Cough Rock. I was completely enchanted and mesmerized by the island world.
The plot, if you have read The Secret Garden, is no surprise. What is interesting is the way Potter reinvented it by creating a completely unique place (Cough Rock, as mentioned). She also added substantial charm to the story with the particular folklore and superstition of the St. Lawrence islands.
The Humming Room is a delightful and dear meditation on an old story, and a tale set in a new world that I long to inhabit. My only complaint is that it felt too short, and rushed at the end. I wanted more time on Cough Rock with Roo, Jack and Sir.
Recommended for: fans of Burnett’s The Secret Garden, anyone looking for a beautifully-written middle grade book with a secret at its heart, and those who have never forgotten the wonder of first discovery – of a good book, of nature, and of friendship.
March 11, 2014
The Humming Room by Ellen Potter is a cute little story. It's a middle grade novel and is a quick read with a bit of mystery and just a touch a suspense.
Roo has not had an easy life. In her short time on Earth she has known more hardship than many people ever do. After birth she was abandoned by her mother and although her father loved her and looked after her he was a drug dealer who was in and out of jail.
They were always moving to avoid the law, as well as those on the wrong side of the law. Roo's father had a rotating stream of girlfriends, none of which liked Roo much; the most recent one had a short fuse and a violent temper.
Roo was good at hiding. She could cram herself into the smallest spaces and stay still for hours, this is how she survived. After her father was found dead, leaving Roo an orphan, the police found her cowering in the dark, damp crawl space beneath her family's trailer home.
After spending some time in foster care Roo's father's brother sent for her. She was off to meet an Uncle she never knew she had. An Uncle who lived on a secluded island - in a manor that used to house a Children's Hospital.
Tales of how hundreds of children had died within it's walls would have scared away many, but not the hardened and battle-weary Roo. Strange, and unexplainable things happened around the manor, but Roo was firm in her resolve that she did not believe in ghosts. She looked past the paranormal and kept looking for a logical explanation for everything that was going on.
Throughout the course of this book we saw how Roo went from being a dull, and colorless wisp of a girl, who hung her head and hunched her shoulders. To one with rosy cheeks, and twinkling eyes, who held her head high and showed the world her smile.
I think an underlying theme in this book was how when we think we are worthless, that no one wants us and that our goal in life is to be invisible everyone can see that. But when we have purpose and we grow to see that we have value and worth there is a visible, outward change.
I was a little disappointed that there weren't any ghosts or supernatural powers at work, but I suppose there is value in keeping your head out of the clouds and doing some actual detective work.
Roo has not had an easy life. In her short time on Earth she has known more hardship than many people ever do. After birth she was abandoned by her mother and although her father loved her and looked after her he was a drug dealer who was in and out of jail.
They were always moving to avoid the law, as well as those on the wrong side of the law. Roo's father had a rotating stream of girlfriends, none of which liked Roo much; the most recent one had a short fuse and a violent temper.
Roo was good at hiding. She could cram herself into the smallest spaces and stay still for hours, this is how she survived. After her father was found dead, leaving Roo an orphan, the police found her cowering in the dark, damp crawl space beneath her family's trailer home.
After spending some time in foster care Roo's father's brother sent for her. She was off to meet an Uncle she never knew she had. An Uncle who lived on a secluded island - in a manor that used to house a Children's Hospital.
Tales of how hundreds of children had died within it's walls would have scared away many, but not the hardened and battle-weary Roo. Strange, and unexplainable things happened around the manor, but Roo was firm in her resolve that she did not believe in ghosts. She looked past the paranormal and kept looking for a logical explanation for everything that was going on.
Throughout the course of this book we saw how Roo went from being a dull, and colorless wisp of a girl, who hung her head and hunched her shoulders. To one with rosy cheeks, and twinkling eyes, who held her head high and showed the world her smile.
I think an underlying theme in this book was how when we think we are worthless, that no one wants us and that our goal in life is to be invisible everyone can see that. But when we have purpose and we grow to see that we have value and worth there is a visible, outward change.
I was a little disappointed that there weren't any ghosts or supernatural powers at work, but I suppose there is value in keeping your head out of the clouds and doing some actual detective work.
March 29, 2012
Roo Fanshaw has always been in her own world, different from everyone else around her. It works to her advantage when while hiding under her family's trailer home, her parents are murdered. She is saved by her unique propensity for hiding. Roo is sent to live with her Uncle on Cough Rock Island, a place that used to be a tuberculosis hospital for children that is said to be haunted. At first she is miserable and refuses to behave, but slowly Cough Rock becomes her home. However, there are secrets being kept from her. Hearing strange noises and not believing in ghosts, Roo investigates and discovers that she has a cousin who is ill. They decide to nurse his dead Mother's garden back to life, which proves a task for them, a mysterious boy named Jack who's a force of nature and the magic that flows in the Earth. But can each of them heal and grow themselves? This book at first was interesting to me. I saw that it was inspired by The Secret Garden which is such a great book I knew I had to give this one a chance. However, I ended up being completely disgusted by it's blatant rip-off of Hodgeson-Burnett's original work of fiction. The only things different in this book are the teasing incorporation of what might be magic, the character's names, the time-period and place (island versus England). Other than that the idea of a secret garden, two cousins who are both damaged, a boy who's in tune with nature and other numerous similarities (disgruntled housekeeper being a large one) contribute to make this book not inspired, by the original work but basically a very similar retelling. What makes me the most angry is that it doesn't credit the fact that it's a straight-up retelling, instead saying it's only inspired by it which is a total crock. This book was a rip-off plain and simple - it should be wiped off the map altogether. Plagiarism is ALWAYS WRONG - even if the original author is dead and therefore can't be offended.
VERDICT: 0/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published February 28th, 2012.*
VERDICT: 0/5 Stars
*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published February 28th, 2012.*
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